1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a carrier or cart for holding and transporting containers, in particular, garbage cans or bins. The cart is designed for easy maneuverability to facilitate storage and transport of multiple containers.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional trash or garbage container is normally placed in the garage of one's home or near the back door of residences, apartments, restaurants, stores and manufacturing facilities. With the exception of commercial and industrial usage where trucks equipped with front end lifts upend large trash bins into the trucks, most trash containers have to be hand carried. In order to minimize the time and cost of refuse collection, and to reduce work related injuries, most urban areas require that trash be carried to the curb on garbage collection days rather than picked up at the back door/alley by sanitation workers. Thus, householders must carry their trash bags and barrels to the curbside outside their homes or the trash will not be collected. For many, curbside pickup is merely an inconvenience; for others, it is a difficult task.
Moving heavy and often unwieldy trash cans can be a strenuous activity, not only to those who are employed to do so, but also to homeowners. Carrying a heavy trash container to the alley or front curb for trash pickup is awkward for an adult and even more trying for a youngster. Moreover, moving heavily loaded garbage storage cans ordinarily requires great effort and can often injure the workman or person attempting to move the same. In addition, many individuals suffer from impairments of the back or spine and other physical problems which limits activity. For those with chronic back pain, as well as for elderly people, transporting trash cans to the curb on collection day is a physically difficult and demanding task.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,676 discloses a carrier for transporting trash burners. The carrier comprises an open framework adapted to receive a trash burner. The framework is mounted upon wheels to facilitate movement from place to place. U.S. Pat. No. 2,881,007 discloses a rolling garbage can comprising a container mounted upon wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,345 is directed to attachment means for lifting and moving a container, in particular a garbage can. U.S. Pat. No. 3,188,109 discloses a combined cart and stand for containers such as garbage cans. Each of these patents disclose wheelbarrow type devices for holding and transporting a container whereby the container can be tilted and wheeled from place to place. Such trash can holders require the user first to lift and then to push or pull the holder and contents thereof to its destination. Merely lifting a cart holding a heavily loaded container can tax the strength of the user. Moving and steering such carts is also difficult and awkward.
Americans produce 160 million tons of solid waste every year, more than three pounds per person each day--the highest per capita rate among industrialized nations. A family of four typically fills two, three or more garbage cans per week. Since most municipalities collect trash only once a week, multiple trips between the house and curbside on collection day is usually required. The need to make numerous trips further complicates this strenuous and unpleasant chore.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,085 is directed to a trash cart for hauling two trash containers. The cart is formed of two cart members each of which are movably supported by a single laterally extending axle means. The cart members are longitudinally connected as a single unit by pivot means extending longitudinally therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,612 discloses a convertible trash container carrier having four corner located retractable wheels. Retracting the wheel assemblage converts a wheeled carrier for transportation to a ground supported unit which is more or less a stationary holder of a trash container. Coupling means are described for attaching two trash container carriers together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,147 is directed to a transporter for moving trash cans. A platform is provided having upwardly extending means which are radially adjustable for accommodating containers of different sizes. A plurality of wheels are provided underneath the platform, with at least one wheel being a swiveled forward wheel. Coupling holes are provided in the front and rear of the platform. A connector means can be hooked into the rear coupling hole of one platform and into the forward coupling hole of a trailing platform to form a train for moving several trash cans at once.
While many carriers, carts, dollies and other devices have been designed to simplify and reduce the difficulties of trash removal, a way to make trash removal faster, easier, safer and move convenient continues to exit in the art.